She Dreamed of Paradise
by Calla Mae
Summary: What would happen if on their quest the Company came across a woman? Will Thorin let her stay, would he grow to care for her if he did? Would she change his fate in the end, or would she too be destroyed? Thorin X OC
1. you are the hole in my head

After Gandalf gave the elvish blade to Bilbo, they, along with Thorin and the other twelve dwarves, prepared to continue on their quest. As they drew closer to Rivendell, with Thorin refusing to pass through the place of elves, they came upon the river, Bruinen, where they stopped to drink. While filling his canteen Bilbo noticed an odd shape floating in the water. He had at first thought it was a log with part of a branch sticking up, but as it floated closer moving along the river's currents, Bilbo noticed several tendrils snaking out of it and figured it to be some kind of animal. But as it continued towards them he noticed a golden sheen to the tendrils as the sunlight shone on them, and he continued to stare until he realized what he was looking at – hair. "Gandalf," Bilbo said capturing the attention of the wizard as well as Thorin, Balin, and Ori.

"What is it, Bilbo?" the wizard asked half paying attention to the hobbit, while watching over the dwarves.

"Is that a person in the water?" That question stilled all movement and chatter, and all fifteen in the company looked out at the river to where Bilbo had pointed and saw the figure, with something sticking out of it's back, floating towards them. Balin was the first to react, and he ran through the shallow water to where the figure was and lightly pushed it to where the wizard stood.

"Gandalf, I believe it is a woman. And she is hurt," Balin said seeing that there was an arrow lodged in her left shoulder as she floated upside down. Her long hair floated beside her head as Balin moved her.

Gandalf placed his staff in Bilbo's hands and moved to the woman's side and gently turned her over; he had a hold on her right shoulder as he righted her and tried not to let the arrow dig any deeper in her back. As her head surfaced her hair, which had been flowing around her, covered her face in a wet mask. Water poured from her mouth as her head lulled to the side. Gandalf felt Bilbo and Thorin by his side as they looked at the unconscious woman. Gandalf pulled her wet hair from her face and studied her sharp angular features until he recognized her.

"Who is she?" Gandalf heard one of the dwarves ask. It had been Ori, who stood to the wizard's right.

"She is Evengel, daughter of Fengel the King of Rohan. And she still draws breath." Gandalf gently placed a hand around her left shoulder and lifted her onto dry land. "You are a long way from home my dear," Gandalf mumbled mostly to himself.

Thorin had been looking down at the young woman, weighing the options. "She cannot come with us."

Gandalf looked up at the dwarf prince. "Shall I put her back?" he asked motioning to the river.

Thorin opened his mouth to speak but decided not to, and a look crossed his face showing the wizard that the dwarf was thinking about leaving her there. "Where we are going is too dangerous for someone who's been injured. Let alone a woman. She cannot even stand, she's barely breathing."

"So you would like me to toss her back in the river then," Gandalf said to provoke Thorin into agreeing to take her.

Balin was still in the river looking at the young woman who no older than twenty, when he noticed something. "Ori, what is that on her wrist?"

"Which one?" Ori asked kneeling in front of her.

"The left one," Balin said moving closer to the bank. Thorin helped Balin out of the river, and looking at the young dwarf Balin sighed. "The other left one, Ori."

Ori's cheeks reddened and he quickly brought up her left hand for inspection. Her small pale, slender wrist was colored black by many bruises, and inflamed, scabbed wounds ran around her wrist and along her thumb. "What do you think caused this?" Ori asked holding her small hand in his own.

"She was chained," Balin said realizing she had squeezed her hand out of a metal handcuff.

"She was kidnapped," Gandalf said. "That would answer for why she is so far from home. Most likely shot down as she tried to escape." The wizard looked up at Thorin and saw him wince slightly as he looked at the woman's heavily bruised wrist.

"We'll carry her until we come across someone who can nurse her and take her home, or until she dies, whichever comes first," Thorin said callously before turning his back on her as he rested for a few moments.

Bilbo, who had been peeking over the wizard's shoulder at Evengel, studied her sharply pretty face. He grabbed a blanket and handed it to Gandalf, who wrapped it around her front;. As they rested, each of the dwarves, at least once, stood beside the wizard to catch a glimpse of the young woman. As the sun dried her hair they noticed the strands gleamed like gold in the light, and it's length, at least, fell to her lower back. Fili and Kili whispered of her beauty, and Balin tsked over her wounds, while Ori blushed every time he looked at her sleeping face, and Nori and Bofur checked often to see she was still breathing, Dori, Gloin, Bombur, Bifur, and Dwalin were all satisfied to look upon her. And Bilbo sat close beside the wizard, still holding Gandalf's staff.

"Are you going to take it out?" Bilbo asked looking at the arrow.

"I'm afraid not," Gandalf answered gently pulling the back collar of her dress down to look at where the arrow was stuck. "I believe removing it without great care might leave her unable to move her arm again. It is best to let it stay for now." Thorin looked up at the mention of great knowing she would receive none where they were going. Gandalf turned away from Thorin's suspicious eyes knowing Evengel would not survive without the help of those Thorin Oakenshield deemed an enemy.

Bifur and Ori had gone to check on the horses to prepare them for leaving, and the others gathered their things. Gandalf, who had been watching her face, noticed Evengel's eyes begin fluttering, before she slowly regained consciousness. She hazily drew a breath as her mind came into focus, making a small choking noise which Bilbo, Thorin, Balin, Nori, and Kili heard causing them to come near

"Give her room, there's no need to scare her," Gandalf said to the five men as they hovered over her staring. They all took a step back but continued to watch her. Her eyes, which were as deeply green as the leaves in the forest, closed again before she was able to stay awake. She had been laid on her side so as not to disturb the arrow in her back, and she looked at the old wizard who was sitting in front of her.

"My dear, Evengel. You were but a child when we met, do you know who I am?" Gandalf asked gently. She opened her mouth to reply and only a whisper of a word was she able to speak. He did not hear most of it, but he heard enough to know that she'd spoken his name. "You are now in the company of dwarves," her eyes widened as she noticed Kili and Fili behind the wizard, who smiled and waved cheerfully, and then confusion settled in her eyes as she looked at Bilbo. "And a hobbit. I assure you, my lady, you are safe. No harm will come to you." She looked back up at the wizard, the only familiar face even though she barely remembered him, and nodded. Gandalf stood and gently took her arms and waited for her to get to her feet. She swayed lightly and Balin steadied her; on her feet she was a head and a half taller than most of the dwarves, but the top of her head barely reached Gandalf's shoulder.

They heard rustling from within the trees as something drew closer – and fast. The dwarves gathered together drawing their weapons, and Gandalf leaned Evengel on Balin, taking his staff from Bilbo, and they all prepared for what came through the trees. Kili and Fili noticed Balin kneeling on the ground, and they stood in front him and the woman who had sat down from dizzied exhaustion, facing the trees. And they all stared waiting for what came bursting through.

* * *

_So I have been thinking of rewriting my previous story of the same name. This one will probably unfold a little differently, however many things will stay the same. Her father is Fengel, who was the king of Rohan during the time of Hobbit, and he was not a very loved man. More of her past unfolds in later chapters and I may switch that up a bit, but I guess it's mostly the book parts that I will be changing. I will include the new changes from both movies, which I'm excited for the Desolation of Smaug; and then continue on after (maybe). So if anyone is interested please let me know. Thank you for reading._


	2. you are the space in my bed

_SMCB: thanks for reviewing. Some parts will be different such as Evengel's personality (a little bit), maybe how awful her father was. But mostly I will be taking out parts that weren't needed. But I may or may not change the original ending. I haven't decided that yet._

* * *

Evengel stared blearily as what could only be described as a sleigh led by a team of rabbits burst through the trees. She did not notice that she could not feel her left arm, not as she saw the strange looking man atop the sleigh. The white haired dwarf helped her to her feet, her legs quivering from exhaustion.

"Oh dear," the man Gandalf introduced as Radagast exclaimed when she caught his eye. He opened his coat and rummaged through his pockets before he grabbed a dirty jar and rushed towards her.  
Gandalf noticed Thorin's grip on his sword tighten as the brown wizard moved.  
"I have something for that," Radagast said moving around her to look at her back. Balin watched the wizard, holding the wary woman's hand.

Evengel turned to look over her shoulder to see what had caused such worry in the strange wizard. "There's an arrow in my shoulder," she whispered.

"Milady?" Balin questioned as he squeezed her hand to offer some sort of comfort.

"Did you all know there was an arrow in my shoulder?" Evengel demanded looking at them all, her eyes wide with great concern. They nodded at her waiting for the tears they knew would come, but she took a deep breath and after a moment nodded. "Alright."

"Alright?" Bilbo asked and she looked at the small hobbit.

"If we are all aware there is an arrow in my shoulder, then alright." She was in no way pleased but her mind was spinning far too much for her to take much note of it; besides, it didn't even hurt.

"Alright," repeated Gandalf with a smile.  
Fili and Kili looked at one another. "She took that better than I thought she would."

Radagast opened the jar and scooped out something brown and gelatinous, and rubbed it around where the arrow was lodged in her shoulder. Those in front of her noticed her slight wince before her face cleared.

"Will this heal her?" Balin asked.

Radagast giggled. "Oh no, she'll probably need elvish care to heal it. This just takes away the pain."

Evengel turned her head slightly to look at the brown wizard behind her. "Thank you," she said softly, remembering courtesy.

"No trouble deary, you look a little worse for the weather," Radagast said patting her shoulder.

Evengel smiled slightly at the man, seeing his large eyes and dirty hair, and a long line of white bird droppings running down the side of his face. He smiled kindly back before walking to where Gandalf was.

Balin looked at the goo on her back, which smelled like flowers and dirt, and reached his arms out as she swayed heavily. Her blinking was rapid as she tried to see through the swirling glaze that was her vision.

"What did you give her," Thorin's voice questioned angrily as he watched the young woman begin fading. The moment he had agreed to her accompanying them had been the moment he had taken the responsibility of keeping her safe – especially now that she had woken.

"I forgot," Radagast said apologetically, "it is supposed to make you sleepy so wounds can be healed."

Evengel leaned heavily on the white haired dwarf, who had introduced himself as Balin, trying to keep her eyes open. She did not know where she was, she did not know who she was with save Gandalf who she had met once; all she knew was that she was not safe.

The moment the howl sounded Balin had positioned himself in front of the wilting woman, his sword in hand and determination masking his fear.

They all looked forward, in the same direction, not sure where the sound had come from. The sound however, had come from behind them. A low growling was heard before a warg leaped from atop the hill behind them. Thorin struck the beast with his sword, and heard the whizzing of an arrow shooting past his head, and saw that Kili had killed a warg behind him, and Dwalin finished off the first warg.

"Milady," Balin said quietly when he felt her hand on his back. He held her up as best he could, seeing she was now afraid as well as exhausted.

Evengel heard the buzzing of panicked speaking but her eyes were drooping closed and she was now falling asleep.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf nearly yelled.

Evengel's eyes shot open, landing on a dead warg, and she told herself she could not fall asleep – even if she so very much wanted to. She wanted to curl up beside that tree right there, where the roots would hide her, and she could finally rest.

"Milady," Balin said shaking her gently. "You must stay awake," he urged seeing her try to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes.

Gandalf looked to the young woman who was now leaning on Balin in pure exhaustion. "Can you run, my lady?" he asked her. She turned her dark green eyes to his gray ones and nodded. "We must be quick."

Balin and Dwalin had a hold of Evengel's arms as they hurried through the rest of the woods, and then they held her up as they stood waiting for Radagast to lead the Orc pack away from them. Gandalf led them out of the trees and into an open field where they could see the wargs and their riders chasing the brown wizard and his rabbits. Radagast made a sharp turn right, leading the Orcs closer to the group, and they hurried, most on short legs, to take cover behind boulders.

A few more times they ran in plain sight before they could seek shelter behind more rocks.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked Gandalf, though the wizard did not answer.

They had just pressed their backs against the sharp ridges of a large boulder when they heard the low growl of a warg above them. Evengel stood with her right shoulder to the wall not able to feel her body; she had let both Balin and his brother lead her blinding, praying they would not let her get hurt. Even in her foggy mind she knew they were making too much noise, what with the yelping of the warg and the shrieking of the orc. _They know where we are now_, she thought bitterly thinking they would now all die; although she thought that might be peaceful if only for some rest. She nearly groaned when Balin pulled on her and they began running again, this time being directly chased. How she craved a sword of her own in that moment.

Balin pulled Evengel after him and they followed the others, Dwalin ran on her other side keeping a close eye on her as he could see fatigue bearing down on her. If Balin hadn't had a hold on her she might have slipped away. Dwalin grabbed her free hand and put it on his belt so she could hold on to it. Even half asleep she ran the same pace as the dwarves on their short legs. Her dress wrapped under her foot and she tripped losing both Balin and Dwalin, though she tore something off his belt as she fell.

She could feel the leather of a hilt, and by its small size realized she'd taken his dagger. She stood on shaky legs and looked around her seeing smudges of grass and swirls of orcs on wargs. She saw a black shape holding what she assumed was a sword and figured it to be a dwarf. The dwarf raised his sword and she saw a gleam of silver as it came down on a big shadow.

Thorin brought his sword down on the warg's side causing it to yelp. It moved around behind him and he turned driving his sword through it's skull. He heard a snarl and turned around to see another coming at him, but it was too close and he did not have time to raise his sword in defense; then he saw a quick flash of silver fly past his head, so close his hair ruffled, and into the warg's mouth killing it. He turned and saw the blonde woman standing a few paces behind him and he ran grabbing her arm and pulled her after him.

He heard Gandalf's shout and looked to see the wizard pointing to a passage beneath the rocks. He called his men and pulled Evengel towards where Gandalf and most of the others had disappeared into. He turned urging his friends to run faster, and yelled for Kili, who was loosing arrows at wargs and their riders; and when they all had slid down into the passage he held the woman to his chest and slid on his back down into the hole.

Balin, who had moved to go back for her but continued on when he saw Thorin grab her, helped Evengel to her feet. She leaned against him as she steadied herself and turned to Thorin.

"I didn't hit you did I?" she asked. "I couldn't really see you."

Thorin stood staring at her with wide eyes. "You threw a dagger in my direction without being able to see me?" he asked appalled, his voice gruff.

"You're welcome," she said before she swayed again. Thorin shook his head before pushing past her towards Gandalf. They heard shouts and screams, and the sounds of horse hooves from above and they all jumped back when an orc fell to their feet. Nori poked the orc and was satisfied when it did not move.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads," came Dwalin's voice from the other side of the cave. "Do we follow it or not?"

"Follow it of course," Bofur exclaimed, not liking the alternative.

Dwalin moved past Bofur and scooped up the woman, holding an around beneath her bottom before he walked through the path.

Evengel was relieved, she did not think she could move forward anymore. She was left half slung over the large dwarf's shoulder, her left arm dangling behind his back, and her eyes now completely drifting shut as sleep settled around her.


	3. you are the silence in between

Thorin walked behind Dwalin in the cave, watching the woman's sleeping face – such peace is found in dreams, there was no peace on her face. Her brows were knitted in anxious unsettledness as though even as she slept she felt unsafe. He could see the arrow buried in her shoulder, seeing it embedded in her muscle; a dangerous place if one wanted to keep the movement of their arm. His eyes then fell to the horrid black marks on her delicate wrist; scabs, bruises, scratches; she had gone through a panicked trouble to have freed herself, and he wondered what it was she had run from – and then he wondered who had felled her.

She did not wake until Dwalin set her down, and she opened her eyes to see they were no longer in the cave but instead in an open are where she could hear water rushing. "Where are we?" she whispered when she saw a head of white, feeling him take her arm and hold her up.

"Rivendell, lassie," Balin answered seeing her blink wearily, knowing she needed medicine and rest.

"Oh," she breathed as she let her eyes fall shut once more. Truthfully she did not care where she was if only there was a bed. She was soothed by the sound of lovely voices, speaking a language she did not understand.

Her eyes snapped open when she heard Gloin demand;

"Did he insult us?"

Elrond stared sternly at the dwarves and Gandalf looked at them crossly. "No Master Gloin, he is offering you food."

The dwarves quieted a moment before huddling and whispered something to themselves. Elrond took note of the young woman and looked to his old friend with raised brows. "We came across her in Bruinen, she appears to have been kidnapped." Elrond's brows raised higher at that and he looked at the woman again and saw her eyes were closed. "She's been greatly hurt," Gandalf said and opened his mouth to ask for her to be aided but Elrond did not give him the chance.

Elrond turned to the elf behind him and spoke to him in the elvish tongue, and the guard moved down the steps towards the woman. Evengel could no longer open her eyes, though she thought she heard him tell Balin he would bring her to a healer. She wrapped her right arm around the elf's shoulder as he placed a hand around her back and his other under her knees and lifted her. She laid her head on his shoulder and tried to open her eyes but sleep took hold of her before she could.

They all watched as the elf moved quickly up the steps and saw Evengel's arm drop from the elf's shoulder and her head fall back. They could no longer see her after the elf turned a corner. Balin looked after her still, worried. "Have something to eat and then you can go see her," Gandalf said reassuringly.

It was a while after supper that Balin sat by her side, having been with Thorin when the moon letters were read from the map. "When will she wake?" he asked the lady elf who was finishing tying Evengel's bandages.

The elf looked down at him, the same unhappy mistrustful look in her eyes as were in his. "She should wake any time after now," the elf answered before making her leave, happy to be rid of the dwarves.

Balin turned his eyes to Evengel, who was laid on her right side with her back to him. His brows furrowed as he glanced over her back, seeing a thin line running along the length of it.

"Keep quiet," he ordered the others sternly as they sat on the balcony. Most of the others had quickly become bored as she slept, and either played around noisily, or slept themselves. Kili and Fili were throwing something back and forth and Bombur was eating some of the food he'd hidden in his pockets. Balin sighed as he watched the young woman. He heard a crash and looked to see Kili and Fili looking guilty with a broken vase at their feet. Balin grumbled under his breath and looked back at Evengel seeing her forest green eyes blinking.

She felt as though she were ripping the skin off of her eyes as she forced them open. She stared ahead of her wondering where she was before she remembered they had come to Rivendell She rolled gently onto her back, her shoulder tender and aching. She saw Balin to her left smiling down at her, and a few others who'd noticed she was awake standing behind him; though Balin's name was the only name she remembered, beside Gandalf and Bilbo, and that was only because he was the only hobbit.

"Are you feeling better, lassie?" Balin asked. She nodded her head and made to sit up, and he noticed her brows furrow as she looked down at the sheet covering her. She grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around her as she leaned against the wall so she could sit.

"Thank you," she softly as a rather large dwarf handed her a biscuit he had taken from his pocket.

"How is your shoulder?" Balin asked after she had eaten it.

Evengel shrugged her shoulder tentatively to see if it hurt and winced slightly. "It feels better than it had before."

They turned to the door when they heard movement and saw Thorin standing in the doorway and the elven guard who'd carried her standing beside him. The elf walked in the room and laid a pile of clothing at her feet. "These are the men's clothes that were requested," he said.

Evengel looked up at him with furrowed brows and then turned to Balin, who seemed to be as confused as she was. She then looked to Thorin standing in the doorway and he gave her a small nod before she looked back at the elf. "Thank you, it is my preferred attire," she said playing along to whatever the dark haired dwarf had planned. The elf looked at her strangely before he nodded and left them.

"We should leave so she can dress," Balin said standing. He looked back and saw Evengel sitting up further though her brows were still knitted together. "Is something wrong, lass?"

Evengel sighed before answering, "I will need help." She did not want help, not from any of them, but she could not dress herself.

It took a moment for her words to register before a loud murmuring filled the room.

"I'll be happy to help," said Fili with a large smile.

"So would I," piped in Kili.

Ori was flushed red and a few of the other dwarves were giggling while the others looked rather uncomfortable.  
"Out, all of you," Thorin's deep voice boomed through the room. The twelve dwarves left bidding her goodbye and Thorin closed the door before walking to the bed.

Evengel swung her legs off the side of the bed to stand and, very reluctantly, let the covers fall away. Thorin looked up and upon seeing her flesh he quickly looked away grabbing the white shirt, wondering if perhaps he should have asked for a woman to assist her. He moved behind her to keep himself from staring at her chest, taking note of the long thin scar that ran down her back. His eyes next took in the bandages on her shoulder and he lifted them as gently as he could and saw a long jagged piece of skin where the arrow had been.

"How bad is it?" she asked turning to look over her shoulder, wondering how bad the wound was.

"It's not that bad," he tried to assure her, seeing that it would leave a rather ugly scar on her otherwise lovely skin.

Her eyes met his and she gave him a disbelieving look. "It's not that good either."

He could do more than nod before he lifted the shirt over her head and she put her right arm through the sleeve, though he had to help get her left arm through. He heard her suck air through her teeth and apologized.

He walked around to her front to get the pants. He saw she was having trouble lifting her left arm to button the shirt and he moved her hands aside and finished for her, not allowing himself a moment to notice when his knuckles brushed against the swell of her breasts. She stepped into the brown pants he held open for her, and he knelt before her as he tucked in her shirt and tied the pants tightly around her slender waist. He then fastened a belt around her hips and helped her into a coat. She sat on the bed and pulled a boot on with one hand, and he sighed before pushing her hand away and tucking the pants into the boot and tying it. He grabbed the other one and eased her foot into it.

She had remained quiet waiting for him to speak but seeing that he wouldn't she asked, "Am I going with you?"

He paused a moment before continuing to tie the boot. "I will not leave you here." He finished tying the boot and sat on his knees before her. "You will stay with us until we find someone who can take you home, someone I trust." She nodded in understanding, knowing from the dwarves' chatter that they held no love for elves. Thorin sighed looking away to gather his thoughts before looking back at her. "I cannot offer you protection."

She sat staring at him for a few moments before she spoke again. "So what you're saying," she started, "is I have no choice but to go with you because you do not trust the elves, but going with you will be dangerous." He nodded and she released a breath realizing she had no other option. "Alright," she said.

His brows raised in amusement and he stood; he was taller than most dwarves, so she was only a few inches taller than him. He looked her over seeing the shape of her breasts through her shirt and the roundness of her hips through her pants. She looked too womanly even dressed like a man, he knew it may cause trouble should they run into the wrong people.

She was holding her left hand and was running her nails over her fingers. Thorin took her hand in his and grabbed the last three fingers, seeing the angry marks from her nails. "Can you feel this?" he asked looking into her eyes as he bent the fingers back. Her eyes stayed on his and he watched her brows draw together in frustration.

"No, I don't believe I can," she admitted softly, not happy with it but glad she could use her hand all the same.

He ran his thumb along her knuckles before he dropped her hand and walked to the door. "We are to be leaving," he said and she followed after him.


	4. what I thought and what I said

They gathered their things and dispersed between themselves what Evengel would need once she could carry them. She was useless, for the moment, and it was not unnoticed by her but what could she do? She had not asked for any hand that had been dealt her, just as Thorin had not asked to carry her with them.

"Be on your guard," Thorin warned them as they walked up the cliffs to leave Rivendell, "we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these lands lead on," he ordered.

"Aye," Balin agreed before stepping forward, leaving Evengel's side.

"Come on Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up," Thorin said roughly, exposing once again just how out of place the hobbit was in the wild. Evengel did not care to comment, a lady should have though, but she did not feel much of a lady in pants. Besides, how could she rebuke Thorin's cruelty when she herself was not fit for the wild.

She walked behind Thorin, taking his hand when he turned to pull her up a ridge. When there were large steps either Dwalin or Thorin would wrap an arm around her waist and either carry her or hand her to the other. All the while she protested saying things like - "It's alright, I can make it," or "It's not too high," and "It's alright Thorin, you do not need to carry me," and the thing she said the most, "Thorin I do not need help, put me down." - none of these were listened to, by Thorin or Dwalin. She was a woman, a beautiful young woman who had been on the edge of death when they first came across her; and so they continued to help her even though she insisted she did not need it, she was now fully their responsibility.

It was a long walk, one that took the entire day but they finally reached the mountains by nightfall. Her cloak did little good when it started to rain and she was quickly soaked along with everyone else. They came to a narrow shoulder where their path was no bigger than the size of their feet; even though dwarves were much shorter than men, their hands and feet were the size of a man's making their bodies look strangely disproportionate. The dwarves and Bilbo had to tread carefully to avoid falling off, but Evengel's feet were much smaller and her going was easier.

Bilbo's foot slipped on the wet rock causing those nearest to hastily grab him, nearly sending them all off the mountain. Evengel heard Bilbo's surprised sound and a shout before she felt Thorin's large arm over her middle flattening her against the side of the mountain, and Balin's cloak in her fist as she held on to him. They all steadied themselves, and with no other choice, continued onward.

The rain beat against them harder and the night was illuminated only when lightening filled the sky, followed by a loud crash of thunder. One roll of thunder was so loud it shook the mountain beneath their feet. When a fork of light lit up the sky they saw rocks above them crumble and fall. They pressed against the mountain as the rocks fell and tried to move forward, when another flash of light showed a large stone man hurling a large boulder toward the top of the mountain above them. Thorin flattened Evengel to the wall, covering her head with his arms since she was unable to protect herself with her own. He felt her small hands holding onto the fur of his coat, her head buried under his chin as he tried to cover both their heads.

"This is no thunderstorm," cried Balin over the thunder. "It's a thunderbattle. Look!" he yelled pointing at a large stone man throwing a large piece of rock.

"Well bless me, the legends are true," Bofur said in awe. "Giants! Stone Giants!"

The rock hit another stone giant in the head and he fell against the mountain causing the path beneath the Company to shake. "Take cover," Thorin yelled to those behind him. "You'll fall." He kept a hand on the woman, feeling her small body shaking as she held onto him; the rock beneath their feet crumbling as the stone giant they were standing on got to his feet.

On the next lightening strike Thorin, who had seen the giant had moved closer to the mountain side, yelled for them to jump. He grabbed Evengel and ran, jumping onto the mountain. He heard her cry of pain, seeing her wounded shoulder had landed on a jagged rock. It was all a blur to her after that; the pain too great for her to see through. Her heart pounded in her ears as she pushed forward, vaguely aware the others were alright as she was pulled along the ledge and into a cave.

Dwalin sat her down before moving so Thorin could look her over. "Are alright, milady?" he asked seeing she was pale and shivering.

"Yes," she answered automatically, it not being a conscious thought to complain.

Thorin looked at her, seeing her holding her left arm, her brows knitted in pain and he knew it was not true. All the proof he needed was found when he removed her coat and pulled her shirt down to see the now reddened bandage on her shoulder. He did not ask if he could stitch the reopened wound, he did not tell her it would hurt – all of this she knew. It greatly impressed him that she did no more than hiss and grit her teeth as he sewed the wound closed once more, leaving it exposed for he had nothing to bandage it with.

She leaned wearily against the wall, feeling her skin throbbing painfully but saying nothing – what she would not give for the strongest ale in that moment.

They sat chattering and jesting quietly, or in silence, but they weren't very sleepy. Their legs were tired from walking and climbing but their minds were not. She sat warmed under her blanket listening to tales of the war of the Dwarves, which she had only briefly heard of, as well as the various things they'd done since then. Ori was an artist and often drew, and had sold some of his drawing. Fili and Kili told a story but they started arguing when the other interrupted.

"Can you tell us a story?" Ori asked. Evengel looked over at him and saw that he was looking at her.

She smiled uncomfortably and shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at stories."

"Oh come on, you heard ours," Gloin said roughly though he was smiling. "You could make one up if you don't want to tell a true one."

"Yeah, how can you be bad at telling stories?" Kili asked.

"I only know sad ones," she said quietly.

Balin looked over at her, barely seeing her in the dim light from the lightening. "Perhaps we could use a different kind of story. Maybe even a sad one."

"Please," Ori begged sweetly.

She looked over at him and saw his small smile and sighed heavily. In the next flash of lightening Thorin, who had been staring at her intently since Ori had first asked for a story, saw her eyes raised to the ceiling.

"Once upon a time," she started making many of them smile at her irritated tone, "there was a king. His kingdom was wealthy and his people happy. Though the lure of fine things made him greedy, and his greed made him cruel."  
The dwarves, who had been talking hushly before were silent now, wanting to know what she would say next about this king.

"The people, who had once been happy, now feared his wrath. Not even his own family were at ease near him, for they were no safer from his anger than anyone else." She paused as she thought of how to continue, the dwarves now completely silent and enraptured by the lull of her voice. "He had a son, but the son was not as fierce as he and so he cast him aside for better. He had a daughter, though she was no son she was more a warrior than her brother – at least as her father told her when he ordered her to practice her skill with a blade."

Her smile was bitter, Thorin thought as he looked at her, and he wondered who this story was about – for he did not like the sorrowful way she spoke.

"She was beautiful like her mother but her eyes were his. She had the same cold unfeeling eyes as the king – and so he loved her best. But one day, many years after the princess was born, the king was faced with a problem; horrid creatures attacked his men when they traveled through a gap in the mountains."

The dwarves were hardly breathing, not daring to make a sound should she stop speaking; they were utterly invested in the words that came out of her pretty mouth.

"Nothing he tried worked. The creatures were not smart enough to understand peace accords, nor were they interested – the king was too prideful to even consider it. But the king's daughter had an idea, that would later prove to be horrid for her. She proposed the king offer the creatures something in return for safe passing; something the king willing accepted."

Thorin, who gazed fiercely at her, heard the drop in her voice; heard the moment when it lost all emotion. It confused him, alarmed him; and it left him wondering if this was merely a story at all.

"The creatures did not accept the king's first offer – gold. They did not except the second offer of jewels either. Nor the king's finest horses, or fabrics. They wanted the king's most beautiful possession; something he would not be so willing to part with. It was not until the king called his daughter to his throne to demand she give him a solution that he realized the most beautiful thing he had; it had been her all along."

A few dwarves, and Bilbo, gasped at that revelation; having never guessed the king so cruel as to consider his own daughter. Thorin did not gasp, neither did Balin – both dwarves stared hard at her, waiting for the rest of the tale to prove what they were thinking was correct.

Evengel did not speak for several long moments, to which the lightening lit her solemn face. "He turned his back on his daughter when she left, bound by rope with one of his men as he led her to the horrid creatures. They tore the man apart when they finally had her, and their king locked her in a cage."  
She stopped speaking again, sitting in silence as she let the drumming of the rain slow her racing heart. She could feel the blood racing in her veins, feel her anger and hatred; but she could also feel the tears.  
"They carried her toward where they lived in the mountains, carried her to her future of vile creatures who poked and prodded her; but what is a bird to do locked in a cage?"

They were growing impatient with her many pauses, wishing to hear the rest of the tale where the prince came and rescued her; anything that would make it a better story. But Thorin realized this was in no way a happy story, nor would it have a pleasant end.

"The creatures were attacked before they made it to the mountain, and the princess managed to squeeze out of her cage. She ran as fast as her legs could take her toward freedom. But she was thought to be one of them, and so the very people that gave her freedom took her life."

She stopped speaking again but this time they all knew she would say no more, for the story was finished.

"Why did she have to die?" Kili asked gloomily, having hoped the princess would escape it all.

Evengel did not look at him, she did not look at anyone. "I told you you would not like my story," was all she said before she rolled onto her side away from them all.

They stared at her confused, not understanding why the story had upset her so greatly. Thorin knew, he knew it as clearly as he remembered the bruises on her wrist and the arrow in her back. He stared at her back wondering if her father had been cruel enough to give her the thin scar that lined her spine, and if he had then what that meant for the life she had lived. He did not like the answers he found, they were all too sad and bleak. But he now knew what had happened to her when they found her in the river; he had been right, it hadn't just been a story.


End file.
